A HI-TECH fraudster who posed as a lottery winner as he set up a bogus company in a bid to obtain #62,000 in false VAT claims was jailed for three years yesterday.
A fake winner's cheque was part of an impressive paper chain Stephen Shannon created on his computer to give an impression of affluence as he pretended he was setting up a #250,000 luxury boat hire firm.
Linlithgow Sheriff Court heard Shannon never actually tried to cash to fake cheque, but it was so good Camelot could tell it was a dummy only from the serial numbers.
Shannon, 35, of The Bath House, Fortuna Court, Falkirk, admitted charges of fraud and attempted fraud.
He drew up the cheque on his home computer after winning #10 on the lottery. Instead of cashing his ticket, he sent it off to Camelot who sent him a real cheque for his winnings. He scanned that into his computer to create the fake showing him to be a big winner.
Sheriff Kenneth Ross heard Shannon tried the scheme while he was being investigated by Customs and Excise for a separate VAT fraud at the frozen food business he ran.
In that case Shannon produced fake returns and bank statements on his computer to collect #60,046.
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